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Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
En Español (Spanish Version)
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Carpal tunnel syndrome causes symptoms in one or both hands. Problems start slowly and get worse over time. They may be:

  • Numbness, tingling, and swelling in the palm of the hand and fingers
  • Pain from the wrist that may spread to the shoulder
  • Loss of grip strength
  • Problems that worsen with wrist, hand, or finger motions
  • Pain that goes away when shaking hands and wrists out
  • Loss of feeling in the hand and fingers
REFERENCES:

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Clinical Practice Guideline on the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. AAOS 2016 Feb.

Carpal tunnel syndrome. American Society for Surgery of the Hand website. Available at: https://handcare.assh.org/Anatomy/Details-Page/ArticleID/27950/Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome. Published 2015. Accessed November 20, 2019.

Carpal tunnel syndrome. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/carpal-tunnel-syndrome. Updated June 24, 2019. Accessed November 20, 2019.

Carpal tunnel syndrome fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunnel.htm. Updated August 13, 2019. Accessed November 20, 2019.

Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD  Last Updated: 11/6/2020